Nash Rambler
The Nash Rambler is a North American automobile that was produced by the Nash Motors division of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation from 1950 to 1954. In January 1954, Nash-Kelvinator merged with the Hudson Motor Car Company to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Nash Rambler was then built by AMC in Kenosha, Wisconsin through 1955. The Nash Rambler established a new segment in the automobile market and is widely acknowledged to be the first successful modern American compact car. The 1950-1955 Nash Rambler was the first model run for this automobile platform. Using the same tooling, AMC reintroduced an almost identical "new" 1959 Rambler American for a second model run. This was a rare feat of having two distinct and successful model runs, an almost unheard of phenomenon in automobile history. Development Nash-Kelvinator's President George W. Mason saw that the company needed to compete more effectively and insisted a new car had to be different from the existing models in the market offered by the "Big Three" U.S. automakers. The Rambler was designed to be smaller than contemporary cars, yet still accommodate five passengers comfortably. Nash engineers had originally penned the styling during World War II. The new model was the company's entry in the lower-price segment dominated by models from Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth. The Rambler was designed to be lighter and have smaller dimensions than the other popular cars. A strategy of efficiency, Nash could save on materials in its production while owners would have better fuel economy compared to the other cars of the era. The Nash Rambler rode on a 100 in (2,500 mm) wheelbase, and power came from Nash's proven 173 cu in (2.83 L) L-head (flathead) Straight-6 cylinder engine that produced 82 hp (61 kW). Following the design of the larger "senior" Nash models, the compact Rambler's styling was rounded in form and also had an envelope body with fender skirts that also enclosed the front wheels. This design feature did not impair the car's cornering ability significantly. The compact Rambler line was designed with several body styles, but the inaugural year was limited to a single model: a fully equipped 2-door convertible. The decision to bring the new car out first in a higher market segment with more standard features was a calculated risk by Mason. Foremost in this strategy was the need to give the new Rambler a positive public image. Mason knew the car would fail if seen by the public as a "cheap little car". He knew what Crosley was just finding out with its line of mini cars, and what the Henry J would teach Kaiser Motors; namely, that Americans would rather buy a nice used car than a new car that is perceived as inferior or substandard. Unlike almost all traditional convertibles of the era that used frame-free side windows, the Rambler retained the fixed roof structure above the car's doors and rear-side window frames. This metal structure served as the side guides or rails for the retractable waterproof canvas top. This design allowed Nash to utilize its monocoque (unibody) construction on its new compact. It made the Rambler body very rigid for an open-top car, without the additional bracing required in other convertible models. The convertible top was cable-driven and electrically operated. In developing this new car, Nash had originally planned to call it the Diplomat. This name would have rounded out the Nash family of cars; as for 1950, the 600 line was renamed the Statesman, and the Ambassador remained the flagship line. When it was learned that Dodge had already reserved the Diplomat name for a planned two-door hardtop body style, Nash delved into its own past, and resurrected the Rambler name from an 1897 prototype and its first production model, in 1902. Rambler was also one of the popular early American automobile brands. Additional historical context of the Nash Rambler, along with the Nash-Healey and the Metropolitan, was that U.S. citizens were exposed to and gained experience with the smaller, more efficient compact and sporty European cars during the Second World War. Along with the styling cues of European designs, the car's input included the approach of more compact cars, which came from Nash-Kelvinator having a wide market overseas. This influence is seen directly in the Pinin Farina designed models. AMC would later continue to import European design and styling flair for its products, such as the Hornet Sportabouts by Gucci, the Javelins by Pierre Cardin, and the Matador coupes by Oleg Cassini. Model years The Nash Rambler was introduced on April 13, 1950; in the middle of the model year.The new Rambler was available only as an upmarket two-door convertible — designated the "Landau". Without the weight of a roof, and with a low wind resistance body design for the time, the inline 6-cylinder engine could deliver solid performance and deliver fuel economy up to 30 mpg-US (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg-imp). Several factors were incorporated into the compact Nash Rambler's marketing mix that including making the most from the limited steel supplies during the Korean War, as well as the automaker selecting a strategy for profit maximization from the new Rambler line. The new Nash Rambler came only in a convertible body, a style that had a higher price in the marketplace with more luxurious features and the models used more for leisure-type than ordinary transpostation. With a base price of $1,808, the Nash Rambler was priced slightly lower than the base convertible models convertibles from its intended competition. To further increase the value to buyers, the Nash Rambler was well equipped compared to the competition and included numerous items as standard equipment such as whitewall tires, full wheel covers, electric clock, and even a pushbutton AM radio that were available at extra cost on all other cars at that time. "It was a smartly styled small car. People also liked its low price and the money-saving economy of its peppy 6-cylinder engine." The abbreviated first year of production saw sales of 9,330 Nash Rambler convertibles. 1951 In 1951, the Nash Rambler line was enlarged to include a two-door station wagon and a two-door pillarless hardtop — designated the Country Club. Both the hardtop and convertible models included additional safety features. Two levels of trim were available: Custom and Super. A car tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1951 had a top speed of 80.9 mph (130.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 21.0 seconds. Fuel consumption of 25.2 mpg-imp (11.2 L/100 km; 21.0 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost $1,808 in the U.S., but British sales had not at the time started. 1952 There were no major changes for the 1952 model year. Models included a new Deliveryman 2-door utility wagon for $1,892. The "Custom" models featured Nash's Weather Eye conditioning system and an AM radio as standard equipment. The new Greenbrier station wagons received upgraded trim with two-tone painted exteriors and they were priced at $2,119, the same as the Custom Landau Convertible model. The 1950-1952 Nash Ramblers "gained instant popularity with buyers who liked its looks, as well as loyalty among customers who appreciated its quality engineering and performance." A total of 53,000 Nash Ramblers were made for the year 1953 The Rambler received its first restyling in 1953, and resembled the "senior" Nash models that had received all-new "Airflyte" styling the year before. The hood line was lowered and a new hood ornament, designed by George Petty was optional. The standard engines were increased with manual transmission cars receiving a 184 cu in (3.02 L) I6 producing 85 hp (63 kW), while a 90 hp (67 kW) 195.6 cu in (3.205 L) I6 powered cars with the optional "Hydra-Matic" automatic supplied by General Motors. 1954 After offering exclusevely two-door-only models, Nash introduced a four-door sedan and a four-door station wagon in the Nash Rambler line starting with the 1954 model year. This was the automaker's response to demands of larger families for more roomy Ramblers.These four-door body styles used a 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase. Following the industry practice at the time, the heater and radio were now made optional. Added to the option list was Nash's exclusive integrated air conditioning, a "very sophisticated setup" incorporated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in one system that was "priced lower than any other competing system, at $345, it was a remarkable advance." The four-door Rambler sedan was at first only available in "Custom" trim. The "Country Club" hardtop became available in the lower-priced "Super" trim and without the "Custom" model's standard Continental tire (external spare tire carrier). The 4-door station wagons were designated Cross Country and featured an unusual roofline that followed the slope of the sedan's roof and then diped down before leveling and continuing rearward. The design by Bill Reddig allowed the use of the same dies to produce door framing for sedans and station wagons, while the dip in the rear portion of the roof included a roof rack as standard equipment to reduce the visual effect of the wagon's lowered roofline. There was turmoil in the U.S. automobile market as the Ford-Chevy sales war broke out and the two largest domestic automakers cut prices to gain sales volume. This battle decimated the ramaining independent automakers in their search for customers. On May 1, 1954, Nash and Hudson Motor Car Company announced a merger, and the successor corporation was named American Motors Corporation (AMC). Following the merger, Hudson dealers began receiving Ramblers that were badged as Hudson brand cars. The Hudson Ramblers and Nash Ramblers were identical, save for the brand name and minor badging. 1955 The Nash Rambler's most significant change for the 1955 model year was opening the front wheel wells resulting in a 6-foot (1.8 m) decrease in the turn-circle diameter from previous year's versions, with the two-door models having the smallest in the industry at 36 ft (11 m). The "traditional" Nash fixed fender skirts were removed and the front tread (the distance between the center points of the wheels on the axle as they come in contact with the road) was increased to be even greater than was the Rambler's rear tread. The interiors of the economical Nash Rambler were designed by Helene Rother to also appeal to the feminine eye. American Motors featured "Created to Your Discriminating Taste" in the car's marketing knowing what women looked for in a car and Rother's designs featured elegant, stylish, and expensive fabrics that coordinated in colors and trim. Model and trim combinations were again reshuffled with a two-door Suburban and Club two-door sedans available in "Deluxe" or "Super" versions. Four-door sedans and wagons came as Super or Custom models, while a new Deluxe four-door sedan was introduced. The pillarless Country Club hardtop was reduced to only "Custom" trim, while the convertible was eliminated. The "Deliveryman" wagon was available even though not shown in the regular catalog, as well as another new model, a three-passenger business coupe: a two-door sedan with no rear seat. The focus continued on economy and a Rambler four-door set an all-time record for cars with automatic transmissions of 27.47 mpg-US (8.563 L/100 km; 32.99 mpg-imp) in the 1955 the Mobil Economy Run.However, the U.S. domestic market was turning to bigger and bigger cars; therefore, prospects for the compact Nash Rambler line was limited and production was discontinued after the 1955 model year. Replacement American Motors responded to the changing market by focusing development on its larger 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase four-door line that it had introduced in 1954. Production of the original Nash Rambler ended in 1955 as AMC introduced an all-new Rambler Six and V8 for the 1956 model year. These used the 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase and became much larger cars. The bigger Rambler was also sold under the Nash and Hudson brand names. The new Ramblers came only as four-door models. Along with the usual four-door sedan and station wagon was a new four-door hardtop sedan, as well as an industry first, a four-door hardtop station wagon. Revival With AMC's focus on economical automobiles, management saw an opportunity with the economic recession of 1958 to revive the small 100 in (2,500 mm) wheelbase Nash Rambler.The automaker had retained the old tooling and the old model would fit between the bigger 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase family-sized Ramblers and the imported two-seat 85 in (2,200 mm) wheelbase Nash Metropolitan. This would be a smaller and more efficient alternative to the standard-sized cars that were marketed by the domestic Big Three at that time. The old Nash design was slightly modified and used for AMC's "new" 1958 Rambler American. Epilogue The book listing the 75 noteworthy American automobiles that made news from 1895 to 1970, documents "the 1950 Nash Rambler was a historic car on two counts: its ancestry and its small size." While other compact cars were intriduced by the small independent automakers, such as the Henry J, Hudson Jet, and Willys Aero, only the Rambler survived long enough to establish a real place in automotive history. Moreover, the compact-sized Nash Rambler automobile evolved into a business strategy for American Motors as company firmly associated itself with small cars in the U.S. marketplace. In the 1960s, the automaker "prospered on the back of the Nash Rambler, the compact that recalled the name of the vehicle Thomas B. Jeffrey built in 1902 at the Kenosha, Wisconsin factory that continued to be AMC's main production plant." The Nash Rambler succeeded where others "tried to entice US consumers looking for practical, economical automobiles" during an era "when all Detroit had to offer were pricey, ostentatious behemoths." The Big Three domestic automakers exited the entry-level car market to foreign makes starting in the early 1950s. Nash was the only American manufacturer to get the compact formula right by offering Rambler "well equipped and priced sensibly"; "styling that was fresh, distinctive, and attractive"; and for "the original Rambler’s run in 1950–55 was that there was a full line of Ramblers in many body styles, including a jaunty convertible." According to automotive historian Bill Vance, the Nash Ramblers "are not much remembered, but they did provide reliable, economical and sturdy service." Notes #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-stuff5_0-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-stuff5_0-1 ''b] Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (28 August 2007). "1950-1952 Nash Rambler Specifications". howstuffworks com. Retrieved 11 August 2010. #'^' The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1'''. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2005. p. 333. ISBN 9781593392369. "first modern American compact car, the Rambler." #^' Szudarek, Robert G. (1996). ''How Detroit became the automotive capital: 100th anniversary. Society of Automotive Engineers. p. 193. ISBN 9780614222296. Retrieved 21 January 2012. "the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation introduced the first modern compact car in 1950, and revived the name "Rambler" that dated back to 1902 when Thomas B. Jeffery created the first Rambler in Kenosha, Wisconsin." #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-vancememories_3-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-vancememories_3-1 ''b] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-vancememories_3-2 c''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-vancememories_3-3 ''d] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-vancememories_3-4 e''] Vance, Bill (28 July 2006). "Motoring Memories: AMC Rambler American 1958-1960". Canadian Driver. Retrieved 21 August 2010. #^' Mort, Norm (2010). ''American 'Independent' Automakers: AMC to Willys 1945 to 1960. Veloce Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 9781845842390. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #'^' Witzenburg, Gary (April 1984). "The Name Game". Motor Trend: 86. #'^' "The 1950 Nash Rambler Convertible". The New York Times: p. 20. 14 April 1950. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #'^' Car: The Definitive Visual History of the Automobile. DK Publishing. 2011. p. 170. ISBN 9780756671679. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #'^' Lent, Henry Bolles (1974). Car of the year, 1895-1970: a 75-year parade of American automobiles that made news. Dutton. p. 115. ISBN 9780525274513. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #'^' "The New Nash Rambler Country Club Car". The New York Times: p. 34. 28 June 1951. Retrieved 10 August 2010. #'^' "The Nash Rambler". The Motor. 18 April 1951. #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-standard1950_11-0 '''''a] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-standard1950_11-1 b''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-standard1950_11-2 ''c] Gunnell, John (2004). Standard guide to 1950s American cars. KP Books. p. 165. ISBN 9780873498685. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-1954lineup_12-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-1954lineup_12-1 ''b] Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (29 November 2007). "1954 Nash Rambler Model Lineup". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-nashrambler5_13-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-nashrambler5_13-1 ''b] Auto Editors of''Consumer Guide'' (29 November 2007). "1954 Nash Rambler Deluxe". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-pm1955_14-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-pm1955_14-1 ''b] "New Cars for 1955". Popular Mechanics 102 (6): 99. December 1954. Retrieved 2012-01-21. #'^' Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (28 August 2007). "1950-1952 Rambler". auto.howstuffworks.com. 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The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 January 2012. #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-sass_21-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-sass_21-1 ''b] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Rambler#cite_ref-sass_21-2 c] Sass, Rob (11 December 2008). "Detroit's Small Packages Arrived, and Left, Early". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 January 2012. Category:Nash Category:Post-war